One More Day

Chapter 8

"While you're here, why don't I give you a tour?" Claude asked.

"Sure," Dimitri said.

I placed the contract in the folder and headed out of his office. We followed Claude around the building. He showed us the process of making the metal and how they made the materials. Claude walked over to where someone was designing something. The person put on the finishing touches and handed it to Claude. Claude inspected the piece of metal and he tossed it to Dimitri. Dimitri caught it and took a look at it. It was a small lion head. 

"That's for you, my friend," Claude said. "To say welcome to Golden Deer and thank you."

"Why thank us? We should be thanking you. The two of us coming together means more quality metal to the people that buy from not only us, but from you now."

"I know, but a thanks as for putting aside this stupid rivalry. To be honest, I was thinking of doing the same with you and Edelgard. However, you beat me to it first."

"If you want to try Edelgard, you're more than welcome to."

"I did. She hasn't gotten back to me yet."

"Same here," Dimitri said. "She's a tough one."

"That is why I think we should come together and see if we can beat her. Or at least let her see what she's missing out on," Claude smiled.

"If I do talk to her, do you mind if I bring you up?"

"Only briefly. If she tries to pry information out, I want no part in that conversation. If she wants to know the details of our deal, she can speak to me about it."

"Understood," Dimitri said.

We finished the tour back at the lobby. 

"Well, I believe that is all I can show you here at Golden Deer."

"You're welcome to come to Blue Lions if you would like."

"I might take you up on that offer," Claude smiled.

"Just make sure you give some notice."

"That is understandable."

"Thank you again, Claude," Dimitri said and shook his head.

"My pleasure," Claude said. "It was nice meeting the two of you. We have a bright future ahead of us."

"We certainly do. I'll talk to you soon, Claude," Dimitri said.

"Have a safe flight back," Claude said and said goodbye.

We walked out of the building and headed towards the jet. Dimitri reached into his pocket and pulled out the small lion head.

"Here, you can keep this," he said.

"Why? Shouldn't you keep it?"

"This can be a token of your first successful deal. Since this was your deal you had written."

"Yeah," I said and took the lion head from him. It was so detailed that it almost looked like a lion itself. We got back on the jet and we headed back to Faerghus. Dedue came over to us with two drinks in his hands. He handed one to Dimitri and the other to me.

"A toast, to our first partner in our new deal. It was all thanks to you, Y/N," Dimitri smiled at me.

"And to having a great future," I said. "And to the Blue Lions having one of the best leaders."

Dimitri winked at me before our glasses tapped one another's. I smiled, a small blush creeping onto my cheeks. We took a sip from our drinks and we discussed the next step of the plan.

"If Edelgard does not respond to me within the next week, I will be sending her another email. I know she wants to discuss something so she can see the flaws in it and shoot it down. Then she will say our plan did not impress her enough to even be considered. She is a hard one to crack, but I think we might be able to," Dimitri said.

"Is there another way for her to consider our plan."

"Yes. But it is a long standing alternative that has been used almost as long as when the Blue Lions Co. was created."

"What is it?"

"Marriage. Edelgard is holding out on that alternative option just so she can marry into the business and take it over herself."

That word rang through my head as if it was a plague. Why did hearing that word hurt so much? Not to mention, it hurt when Dimitri said it. Why did it hurt? Was I starting to fall for him? Was his personality as well as looks start to swoon me over? I was so inexperienced with love that I don't even know what love even means. My parents weren't the best at providing love and affection for me. So is this what love felt like? Or was it just me becoming jealous? Or was I starting to fall for him?

"Y/N?"

I snapped out of my thoughts to see Dimitri had a concerned look on his face.

"Is everything alright? You've been kind of out of it lately."

"N-No, it's nothing. I was just thinking," my voice started to trail off.

"Thinking about what?"

"Just thinking about that word you said."

"What? Marriage?"

"Yes."

"Why?" he asked.

I couldn't tell if he was curious or concerned. If he was curious, he had every right to be. If he was concerned, he also had every right to be. But did I really want to tell him everything my parent's didn't do for me? Even though I was working with him for a couple of weeks now, I still felt like I know nothing about him other than his personality. Still, if I were to get closer to him, I'd have to put down my barriers and start to open up people into my life. I can't be what my parent's weren't: open and loving. 

I took a deep breath and sighed, "I was thinking about my parents."

"What about your parents? I understand if you don't want to talk about them since it's none of my business. I'm just genuinely worried about you."

"It's alright," I said. "However, no one really knows about my parents. I don't even really know what happened to them. They left. I had to look after myself after that happened."